This is a wonderful and inspiring nature photography book for intermediate and advanced photographers. For everyone else it is a beautiful book that will probably get you interested in taking better nature pictures.

“Photographing Nature” contains outstanding nature photographs and the instructions for creating them. Ralph Clevenger describes the sometimes very expensive equipment used. He also recommends using a garbage bag for taking “wet belly” photographs, which is about a down to earth as any instructions could get.

I really like the author’s answer to the moral question of manipulating the picture as opposed to recording the truth. He demonstrates his logic with a picture that has earned a great deal of money. It clearly shows the truth about icebergs with a composite photograph that would be impossible to make with the camera alone.

“Photographing Nature” covers composing seeing light, modifying the light when taking the picture, and altering the light digitally afterward. It covers composing using the 3D rule of thirds, and the natural reason why the rule of thirds works. It provides more technical information such as sources for determining the hyperfocal distance to focus for the maximum depth of field.

”Photographing Nature” provides guidance for taking nature photographs of different kinds and in different locations. It tells how and when to approach animals, and when not to disturb them. This is one great book for any photographer taking nature pictures, from insects to landscapes, whether in a back yard or on a trip to exotic locations. It is almost as much inspirational as educational.